University Tourism Issues Report: Global Contemporary Issues

This report delves into contemporary global issues influencing the tourism industry. It identifies and analyzes three key challenges: maintaining sustainable tourism development, addressing safety and security concerns for tourists, and educating users about new technologies. The report examines the impacts of unsustainable practices, such as overtourism and environmental degradation, and the importance of regulations. It further explores the implications of crime, health issues, and terrorism on tourism. Finally, it discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by the evolution of digital technologies and the need for user education. The conclusion synthesizes these issues, emphasizing their impact on the future of the tourism sector and the need for proactive strategies. The report uses academic and industry sources to support its findings.

Running head: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN TOURISM
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN TOURISM
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

1CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN TOURISM
Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................2
2. Contemporary global issues that are faced by the tourism industry............................................2
2.1 Maintaining sustainable tourism development......................................................................2
2.2 Concerns for safety and security............................................................................................3
2.3 Issues relating to educating users about new technologies in the tourism industry..............4
3. Conclusion...................................................................................................................................5
References........................................................................................................................................6

2CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN TOURISM
1. Introduction
The development new technologies and the expansion of the routes have helped in
maximizing tourism activities. The growth of the tourism activities has helped in the growth and
development of the tourism industry in the different regions of the world. However, the tourism
activities face different issues, which have restricted the activities. The discussion aims at
identifying the issues that are faced by the tourism industry.
2. Contemporary global issues that are faced by the tourism industry
The section will be evaluating the different issues that are faced by the tourism industry
in the current years.
2.1 Maintaining sustainable tourism development
Itbberlin (2018) stated that different economies has undertaken steps to establish suitable
tourism activities through researching on the needs and preferences of the tourists in order to
boost their GDP and national income. However, the lack of sustainable approach in the tourism
development and planning has affected the tourism activities. Increased tourism activities in a
specific region affect the social, cultural, natural and infrastructures (Wttc.org 2018). For an
example, the Great Barrier Reef is affected through different tourism activities like snorkeling,
diving and sailing. Therefore, the responsible authorities undertook steps to impose different
regulations in order to undertake a sustainable approach for safeguarding the corals from being
depleted.
The regulations have helped the government authorities in supporting the sustenance of
the natural and anthropological factors. On the other hand, Itbberlin (2018) stated that there are

3CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN TOURISM
certain cases where the government has faced different resistances in imposing regulations
which has affected the maintenance of the sustainable approach. For an instance, excessive
tourism activities in China has affected the Great Wall of China and resulted to depletion of the
same. The air pollution rate in China is exceeding the nominal levels, which has resulted to a
thick smog near Beijing. Many researchers are of the view that the excessive accumulation of
smog has affected the Great Wall. Itbberlin (2018) stated that the rising levels of solid wastes
that are disposed from the C&D activities has affected the sustainable approach of tourism. The
increasing tourism activities have imposed a serious threat to the ecological balance in the
different regions through diverse infrastructural growths. The key elements of change that might
be undertaken by the government and the environmental protection agencies are based on the
assessment of the different needs of undertaking sustainable tourism activities. Lack of proper
strategies has also affected the cultural and social aspects through excessive tourism activities.
2.2 Concerns for safety and security
The safety and security of the tourists are one of the major concerns that are faced by the
tourism industry. Wttc.org (2018) stated that the increasing concerns for the crime rates, food
safety, health issues and natural disaster has affected the tourism industry. The key elements of
change that are undertaken by the tourism development authorities are based on monitoring the
different security issues that might be faced by the tourists. On the other hand, the increased rate
of crimes in the different parts of the world has affected the tourism activities in the regions.
Wttc.org (2018) stated that the tourists select their destinations after assessing the level of threat
that they might encounter in their visits. For an instance, the World Economic Forum through the
publication of Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report stated that the increased crime rates

4CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN TOURISM
and health issues in certain Thailand’s provinces like Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, and Songkhla
has affected the tourism activities of the nation (UNWTO 2017).
The government in the different nations has undertaken steps to evaluate the crime rates
and the food safety in order to promote sustainable tourism activities. However, Wttc.org (2018)
stated that the increased rate of crimes in the different economies has affected the measures of
sustainable tourism as planned by the government and the tourism development authorities.
Regulatory bodies has taken steps to minimize the different issues related to the security and
safety issues that are faced by the tourists through constant monitoring and remodeling.
However, Media.unwto.org. (2018) stated that the issues relating to safety and security is still
growing though the expansion of the terrorist activities and degradation of food quality.
Therefore, it has affected the sustainable tourism initiatives that are undertaken by the concerned
bodies.
2.3 Issues relating to educating users about new technologies in the tourism industry
The evolution of digital technologies and integration of the same in the different websites
has helped the tourism development departments in making the target audience aware of the
amenities that are offered by the nations. However, UNWTO (2017) stated that lack of proper
knowledge among the tourists relating to the utilization of digitalized websites has affected the
tourism activities largely. The significance of the issue is based on the diversity of culture and
languages of the tourists, which has affected the capabilities of the tourism development
departments in educating the tourists of the diverse technologies that are used in the interfaces.
The different changes that are induced by the tourism development agencies are dependent on
the innovations in the digitalization. On the other hand, UNWTO (2017) stated that inability of
the tourism development departments in educating the different tourists in order to enhance the

5CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN TOURISM
user experience while operating on the online portals and new interface has affected the tourism
activities largely. Therefore, it might be stated that the induction of different digital technologies
has helped in the continuous development of the tourism industry in the nations. However, the
lack of proper education to the tourists has affected the tourism experience of the same due to
lack of knowledge transfers.
3. Conclusion
Therefore, from the above discussion it can be stated that the tourism industry face
significant issues that restricts the expansion of the activities. On the other hand, the
identification of the issues will be helping the tourism developers in framing diverse range of
strategies in order to improve the tourism activities through the utilization of modern
technologies. The different issues that are faced by the tourism industry has affected the efficacy
of the sustainable approach of the tourism. On the other hand, the different aspects of change that
are undertaken by the organizations in order to avoid the issues has helped in enhancing the
operation of the same as per the sustainable approach of the businesses.

6CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN TOURISM
References
Itbberlin (2018). [online] itbberlin.de. Available at: http://www.itbberlin.de/ [Accessed 2 Dec.
2018].
Media.unwto.org. (2018). Chinese tourists spent 12% more in travelling abroad in 2016 |
Communications. [online] Available
at: http://media.unwto.org/press-release/2017-04-12/chinese-tourists-spent-12-more-travelling-
abroad-2016 [Accessed 2 Dec. 2018].
UNWTO (2017). [online] People.unica.it. Available at:
http://people.unica.it/carlamassidda/files/2017/06/UNWTO_Tourism-Highlights_2017.pdf
[Accessed 2 Dec. 2018].
Wttc.org (2018). tourism-as-a-driver-of-peace. [online] www.wttc.org. Available at:
http://www.wttc.org/-/media/files/reports/special-and-periodic-reports/tourism-as-a-driver-of-
peace%E2%80%93report-summary-copyrighted.pdf [Accessed 2 Dec. 2018].